


The Song

by DiegoonNio



Series: A Second Chance [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Future AU, M/M, coffee shop AU, they will have a happy ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24133882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiegoonNio/pseuds/DiegoonNio
Summary: G'raha is just your average student working his way through college. At least he thinks he is. When he meets a man named N'lyon he feels like he forgot something very important.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: A Second Chance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741468
Comments: 7
Kudos: 25





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE PROLOGUE CONTAINS CHARACTER DEATH 
> 
> The rest of the series shouldn't. I'll put up a warning if it does but it won't involve G'raha or WoL.

_Echoing in silence_

N’lyon never asked to be a hero. He was just a simple Miqo’te yearning for adventure and enough gil for a treat here and there. But then he met Yda and Papalymo and next thing he knew, he was joining their group and slaying gods. This was not how he wanted his life to go.

_Wandering alone_

But he wasn’t complaining too much. The Scions were actually pretty cool. Plus the perks of being a _God Slayer_ meant he could live out his dream of adventuring and eating sweets. The downside was he didn’t feel close to anyone anymore. The Scions were some of the few people he felt a connection with. But at the end of the day, he couldn’t help feeling like a tool to them.

_Til it meets a whisper_

Then he met that bastard. When he first met G’raha he wanted to strangle that disembodied voice. That cocky brat treated everything like it was a game and it pissed him off. And yet, he couldn’t help smiling every time they were together. Soon they were hanging out outside of Crystal Explorations. It was good to have a friend that didn’t treat him as a tool.

_Then the song unfurls_

But all good things must come to an end. If he had known it was there final night together, N’lyon would have said more. Instead they chatted like always and G’raha sang a new song. “A song of feelings that will remain eternal as it rides the winds of fate,” he had said smugly while N’lyon brushed it off as silly dramatics. Afterwards he was once again pissed at the Scion. He had been able to say, _sing_ everything he wanted to and N’lyon was stuck scrambling to find his final words.

“Good-night. I’ll be waiting for you.”

_Rising to the heavens, we shall set them ablaze_

And time continued forward. The Warrior of Light continued their adventures as G’raha slept. He recorded his adventures and even learned the lute so they could perform together when the other woke up. It was becoming harder to do those things though. With the Garlemald looming over Eorzea, he had to change his focus. It was tiring but all he had to do was imagine G’raha and he’d be motivated to keep going. After all, if he gave up then the Scion would never let him live it down.

_Our duet will change the throes of history_

Then things got better…Sort of. Sure he was transported to another world and the Source was in danger but G’raha was here and awake…Sort of. He didn’t know why the other insisted hiding behind _Crystal Exarch_ but he knew that was G’raha. There was no way he’d mistake that smell. Not knowing why though, he remained silent. A hard thing to do when he had so much to say.

_Even if the future separates the paths we walk_

And finally he was able to say everything he felt. When that hood came down it took every ounce of strength not to vomit every word he had regretted not saying. It was a slower courtship than he’d have liked but when G’raha admitted his feelings had lasted across time, he threw caution to the wind. He wanted to enjoy their time together to the fullest because as he knew, all good things must come to an end.

_The Wind shall unite our melody_

This was suppose to be the end. Balance had been restored to all the shards and even the Thirteenth had been saved. All that was left was to finishing taking care of the _Sound_. The cause of the fall of Amaurot and if left uncheck, would destroy everything they’ve saved. It was suppose to be a simple mission.

But things were never simple.

Everything went wrong.

And soon only N’lyon and G’raha were left.

“This wasn’t suppose to happen,” N’lyon gritted out as he tried to heal the Exarch’s wounds. Unfortunately his spells weren’t strong enough. He was a fighter. Not a healer.“Just hold on a little longer.”

G’raha reached out as his lips moved to say something. Instead of words, he coughed up a little blood. “Don’t talk,” N’lyon muttered as he gripped the other’s hand. “It’s going to be okay. I won’t lose you again.”

G’raha squeeze his hand once before his hand went limp. He stared blankly ahead as his breathing stopped. Biting back a sob, N’lyon scooped the smaller into his arms before crying out. This wasn’t suppose to happen.

His grip on G’raha tightened as the glyphs around them began to glow. They had originally come to stop _that_. His ears began to ring as the _Sound_ started again. A laugh escaped him when he realized what it was. “Gods, how could we have been so stupid,” He laughed hysterically before suddenly stopping. He smiled warmly at G’raha before looking ahead.

“It’s time to change everything once more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part one in a three part series. Originally it was suppose to be Haurchefant/WoL but it wasn't working with him... Then I saw G'raha/WoL and was able to finish creating this idea. The series is as planned:
> 
> The Song: G'raha/WoL coffee shop AU  
> -Rated E (maybe T later)  
> -updates Monday
> 
> Rebirth of the Eye: Aymeric/Estinien Mafia AU  
> -Rated M  
> -Updates Wednesday
> 
> One Step Forward: Thancred/???   
> -Rated T (maybe M later)  
> -Updates Friday. Maybe every other Friday  
> And possibly a Haurchefant/WoL one shot because that's still my favorite. 
> 
> I also like to credit Endy @ochentiocho on Twitter for the G'raha coffee shop AU inspiration. I'm doing my best not to copy them though. Luckily our protrals seem different so it should be fine... Also you should follow them if you like G'raha/WoL things. They make great art.
> 
> You can find me on Twitter @diegoonnio. I'll be working on art over there.


	2. Ch 1: Just a Normal Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> G'raha just wanted pizza. Instead he gets a cutie instead.

_“The future is where my fate awaits.”_

_“Then I’ll meet you there and tell you good-morning.”_

G’raha groaned as he slowly stirred. The other students were packing up around him. Slowly, he began to gather up his unused paper and books as well. He may have slept the entire lecture but almost felt worse. It had to have been that dream’s fault.

That dream wasn’t anything new. Every time he’d be in a tower made of crystal. He could never recall the exact details but he knew he was looking for something. Someone? By the time he woke up, he couldn’t remember. But this time was different. He could remember talking to a blond Miqo’te. The details were fuzzy but it was something.

“Good-morning, huh?” He smiled to himself as he put the last book in his bag. Swinging it onto his back, he exited the classroom last.There was still an hour before work so he wasn’t in a hurry. He debated going to the library but the last time he did that, he was late to work. So he opted for exploring. Maybe there would a booth with food. He liked those.

But as he made his way to an exit, someone caught his eye. A blond Miqo’te like in his dream. He watched them dumbly as all thoughts left him. Before he could get a look at their face, the other turned to adjust his hair before walking. He followed quickly wondering where he had seen them before.He could tell they were someone important… but who?

The blond exited the building and G’raha quickly dashed forward to catch up. But as he went through the doors, they were no where to be seen. He looked around completely puzzled. In front of him was a wide-open courtyard with only a few students. There was no way he could have lost sight of them. “Mayhaps I’m still dreaming…” He muttered, missing the smiling Miqo’te slipping back into the building behind him.

Still glancing around, he made his way across the courtyard towards the smell of pizza. If he couldn’t find a Miqo’te, then he’d find food. It didn’t take long to find the row of tables with free food. Unfortunately most of it had already been cleaned out. His shoulders slumped in dejection. He never made it in time for free food.

“G’raha?” His ears perked up as he was called. Turning around, he saw a black haired Elezen he saw surprisingly often thanks to work. The man smiled at him. “It appears we both missed the food”

“Good afternoon, Professor Borel,” G’raha greeted with a wave. “I didn’t know you liked pizza.”

“Please call me Aymeric. You’ve never had a class with me,” Aymeric chuckled at the formalities. “It’s not my preferred choice but I woke up a bit too late to pack a lunch today.”

G’raha nodded knowing the feeling quite well. It wasn’t uncommon for him to spend most of the night reading and waking up in time for class or work. Today was one such day. “I could always eat pizza but… I’m the same as you today. We’re both out of luck it seems. Oh well. Guess I’ll just grab a pastry at work.”

“Or how about you join me for lunch?” The Elezen offered as he gestured towards the food court. As much as G’raha would have liked to say yes, it seemed rude to accept it. So he shook his head no. “I see… how about I pay you in food to deliver lunch to Estinien? Unless you want him eating all the pastries while you close.”

“Actually it’s just me closing tonight. He’s working a midshift so he gets off two hours earlier,” The Miqo’te explained as Aymeric began walking. He followed along only so he could be a delivery boy. “But I can take something to him.”

“Please do. Otherwise he’ll drag me out of my office while I’m still working,” Aymeric chuckled as he lead the way to a pizza place since the student seemed disappointed over missing it earlier. Missing the lunch rush, they were able to walk straight to the counter. He looked over the options while G’raha waited patiently behind him. “I’ll take two calzones. One supreme and the other a meat-lovers. And a juice box since he’s a child when it comes to vitamins… What would you like? G’raha?”

G’raha jolted as he was adressed. His mind had begun to wander while the other had ordered. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Aymeric sighed before turning to the cashier. “Make that two juice boxes and add a pepperoni calzone to it. That’ll be all.”

“Aymeric!”

The Elezen shot him an innocent smile as he handed the cashier his card. “I can’t let a friend of Estinien’s starve. He has too few to let perish.”

G’raha snorted at the joke. Considering the nature of Estinien, he was surprised the gruff man had any. “I’m glad you’re not going to let me perish but… Estinien and I are just coworkers. I doubt he thinks of me as anything more.”

“Nonsense. He speaks highly of you and everyone he works with,” Aymeric replied while grabbing the bag of food. The Miqo’te was about to argue but he could see the other realized his words weren’t quite true. “Except for Krille… but there’s still a fondness in his words. It’s not the same as if he actually despised her.”

His face grew slightly dark as he recalled something which caught G’raha by surprise. Before the other could ask, Aymeric continued with his thoughts. “Actually I guess he’s had choice words about all of you. Thancred tends to smell like alcohol in the morning, Lyse is too hyperactive, and you have a habit of causing mischief. I believe he said you pretended to be a customer the first time you worked with him?”

G’raha grinned at the memory as Aymeric handed him a calzone. He unwrapped it while talking. “That’s right. Did you know he was actually a good employee the whole time? He didn’t start swearing at me until after he learned I was an employee too. Good thing the cafe was hurting on employees or he’d probably have murdered me…”

“I’ve never seen that. He can actually provide good customer service?” Aymeric questioned with a small laugh. He handed over the bag containing Estinien’s meal and juice boxes. “Make sure he drinks the juice box. I’m worried he’s not eating a balance diet.”

The Miqo’te took the bag with a nod. “I’ve noticed he enjoys energy drinks and cup noodles. His diet is worse than mine and I’m the college student.”

“I told him to cut back on those drinks…” Aymeric sighed before shooting G’raha a smile. “I have to start heading to my next class. Have good day at work.”

“Same to you,” G’raha replied before the two went their separate ways. He slowly made his way towards the cafe as he munched on his calzone. Aymeric was a pretty nice guy. No wonder Estinien was always happy to see him. A devilish smile crossed his lips as he finished his food. He could probably use Aymeric to tease his coworker. That’d be something to look forward to.

Taking out his phone, he looked up recent news as he walked. Specifically what was happening with the Alagan ruins that were found. Unfortunately all the recent articles were just speculation piece meaning nothing new had been found. Sighing, he pocketed his phone as he arrived at the cafe.

He paused as he reached for the doorknob. There was familiar shouting coming from inside. He slowly shook his head knowing exactly what was happening. Quietly he entered but the bell announced his entrance. The yelling suddenly stopped.

“Welcome!” Two voices greeted in unison before an awkward silence filled the air.

“It’s just G’raha,” Estinien growled as he turned to one of the coffee machines. “Which means you can go, half-pint.”

“Hi, Raha!” Krille waved cheerfully before glaring at Estinien. “Not before I know you’re going to finish cleaning all the machines.”

“Bitch, I work!”

Krille kicked him in the shins. “No swearing when you’re in the front.”

G’raha decided to interveen before their fighting escalated. “Hey, Estinien. I got a present from Aymeric for you.”

That made the Elezen perk up before he looked at the other suspiciously. “I didn’t know you guys knew each other,” he commented but held out his hand for the bag anyway.

“He comes in here a lot. Of course we know each other.”

“Doesn’t mean you two have time to talk. Especially when midget here is screeching that we work,” He huffed while taking the bag. Wasting no time, he was opening it to examine it’s contents.

“G’raha actually works hard,” Krille scolded as she began undoing her apron. “You could learn from him.”

Estinien ignored her as he scowled at the bag. “Two juice boxes? Ugh he knows I hate this shit.”

Krille rolled her eyes as she retreated to the backroom. Meanwhile G’raha shook his head before reaching to grab one. “One of those is mine. I forgot to take it out.”

“You want two?” The Elezen offered as Krille returned. She tossed a clean apron to G’raha. “Aren’t you a growing boy or something?”

“I’m 21. Which is the age for a full grown, adult Miqo’te,” G’raha huffed while putting on the apron. “And don’t you throw it away. Aymeric told me to report back if you didn’t drink it.”

“Can you report other things too? I have a growing list of complaints about that bean pole,” Krille chimed in with a grin. Estinien just glared at her as he began to dig into his meal. “Eat in the backroom if you have to eat now! And with that, I’m done baby-sitting. I’ll see you later, Raha. Tell me if causes any problems.”

“See-ya,” G’raha replied while the Elezen just grumbled as he moved to the backroom to eat. Now it was time to work. Knowing he wouldn’t get a proper answer, he began seeing what needed to be done. Luckily not much. Krille was always a good partner for Estinien when it came to work— even if they fought a lot. He wasn’t bad with Estinien either but he couldn’t call the older out like his friend could. But he was still better with him than Lyse. Somehow those two would work hard and they’d leave more work than when they came in.

The bell chimed as a customer entered. “Give me one moment, please!” He called while counting stock. Of course Estinien wouldn’t stop eating and come out unless it was a crowd. Once he marked down the total, he brushed himself off before moving to the register. “Sorry for the delay. How can I help… you?”

The customer was busy reading the menu. They were a blond Miqo’te just like the one from his dream. He couldn’t help but stare. With a affirmative nod, they turned to G’raha and he nearly melted. They had a warm smile that reached his mismatched eyes.

“Good morning,” They greeted with an almost smooth, tenor voice. Just listening to it made G’raha’s stomach fill with butterflies and something else. “Can I get a medium carmel machiatto? Actually no. Better make it a large since I have an essay due tomorrow.”

“You’re a student?” He asked as he grabbed a cup and began to write on it.

“Yup. Study right down the street.”

“Heh, guess that was a stupid observation,” G’raha chuckled as he stopped writing. “Name?”

The man looked at him in amusement. “Are you asking for the cup or out of personal interest? Unless you’re worried my order will get lost with everyone else’s here,” He teased while gesturing to the empty cafe.

“It’s part of company procedure to ask,” The barista groaned as a blush slowly rose on his cheeks. “Just a force of habit. I’ll get started on that.”

“N’lyon,” He finally answered and the other quickly wrote it down. “And it’s not spell like Leon. It’s spell— oh. You got it right. Looks like you’re smart G’raha.”

G’raha blinked in surprise at the cup.”That’s just because I know how Miqo’te spellings work…” He muttered as the name sounded familar. “How do you know my name?”

“Name-tag,” N’lyon replied with another smile that made G’raha just accept whatever he said. “Ah… sorry to rush you but I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“O-of course!” The other jolted as he got to work. He quickly got the milk steaming and espresso going. “Do you have a lot more to write on your essay?”

“The whole thing.”

“How long is it suppose to be?”

“Ten pages,” The blond replied and laughed as G’raha starred at him in disbelief. “I guess I should have started sooner.”

“You should have,” G’raha chided while finishing up the drink. He added extra caramel before putting the lid on and handing it over. ”Good luck with it. I’m a history major so I know how hard papers can be.”

“Really? I’m a music major but I’ve been taking some history classes as electives. Mayhaps we’ll have the same class sometime.” N’lyon said while taking the cup. Blowing on it, he took a small sip and smiled. “Thanks, it’s perfect. I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. See you.” The red head smiled back as he watched the other leave. He couldn’t help but feel giddy over their interaction. Humming to himself, he turned to get back to work and yelped when he found Estinien right behind him.

“If you’re an adult, why are you acting like a love-struck teenager?” The Elezen smirked before moving to one of the machines. “Looks like you’re taking stock. I’ll finish cleaning the machines.”

“If you shut-up, I won’t mention anything about slacking off.”

The two got to work. Time passed slowly as they worked on the cafe but sped up when a rush of people came in. After five hours of working, Estinien took his leave along with a cup of tea for Aymeric. The remaining two hours went by fast only because of his cellphone. Normally phones weren’t allowed but this was one of the perks when closing alone.

Finally it was time to close. He flipped the OPEN sign, locked the doors, turned on an Alagan research podcast, and got to cleaning up. Once he was satisfied he wouldn’t get yelled at by whoever opened, he went to the back to hangup his apron. He reached to undo his name-tag before realizing he never put it on. “Good thing Tataru didn’t stop by… She’d threaten my pay,” He chuckled to himself before finishing the final touches and headed out.

After an hour of taking the train and bus he was finally back at his apartment. “I’m home,” He called before looking at the kitchen area. On the counter was a bowl of steaming ramen and Krille sitting beside it with a mischievous grin. “…I think I need to go to bed early tonight.”

“Oh no you don’t,” She practically sang as she grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the counter. At least he was getting food out of this. “I got a fascinating text from Estinien. He told me you met a cutie at work.”

“It wasn’t like that,” He groaned before helping himself to the meal. A few teasing jabs was worth a bowl of noddles. “He just reminded me of someone but I never met him before… At least I don’t think I did…”

His eyebrows furrowed as he realized something wrong with their interaction at the coffee shop. Krille looked at him curiously with a hint of concern. “You don’t think you do so you might know him?”

“Ah, no. Probably not,” He answered semi-honestly before beginning to tell he what happened. The only thing he left out was the name-tag. He knew she’d be suspicious of the stranger if he told her that. Honestly, he was little weary now but something in the back of his mind said it was okay.

“Sounds like the start of a bad romance novel. You’ll have to keep me updated,” Krille stated with a laugh when he was done filling her in with what happened. Hoping off her stool, she headed towards her room. “And as enjoyable as this chat was, I need to sleep. Make sure to clean your bowl before you head to bed. G’night.”

“Night, Krille,” G’raha replied before focusing on his soup. He tried thinking about school but his thoughts kept going back to N’lyon. “Estinien’s right. I am acting like love-struck teenager.”

He sighed as he washed his dishes and went to get ready to sleep. Quickly he changed, brushed his teeth, and got comfy in his bed. Normally he would have read a bit but he was too tired. That last thought he had before driftting off was him wondering if N’lyon would finish his paper on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I got the first part up :D I hope you all enjoy~ Remember that kudos and comments are great motivators.
> 
> You can follow me on twitter @diegoonnio


	3. Ch 2: I Swear I'm Not a Stalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The WoL is trying not to be a stalker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this was proof read. Somehow while writing I forgot how to English so there were LOTS of errors. It was quite painful to edit. I hope I caught them all but there were so many....

For someone who was once called a _hero_ , N’lyon certainly acted more like a coward now. Every time he saw G’raha he’d lose his nerve. His mind would completely shut off. All he could do was watch from a far as the other went about his daily life; completely oblivious to everythingthat had happened before.

He could try actually going into the coffee shop instead of waiting outside like a stalker. Plus ordering a cup of coffee would be a great conversation starter. Unfortunately when he had finally worked up the courage to do that, G’raha hadn’t been working. This had happened twice now. Maybe he’d could just follow him to work one day after school to make sure he was working…

The good thing about being a _hero_ was that he had picked up a few trick. One was controlling his ears and tail not to give his emotions away in negative situations. Like if something felt out of place, he’d be able to pretend he didn’t notice anything. Like right now. Someone was definitely watching him. He stopped to look into a mirror while pretending to adjust his hair. It was probably Lahabrea messing around with him.

His ears perked up as he spotted G’raha looking in his direction. He schooled his expression before stepping away from the mirror. It was probably his imagination. “Mayhaps I’m dreaming…” He muttered before stepping through the nearest set of doors. However before he went any further, he ducked behind a pillar. He waited until he was sure the other had stepped outside before peaking out from his hiding spot. Sure enough, there was the red head looking around confused. With a smile, he slipped back inside. This was great news.

Quickly he made his way upstairs and followed a path through the offices. Finding the door he wanted, he knocked three times. “Come in.”

“Hades! You won’t believe what just happened,” N’lyon exclaimed as he bursted into the room. The man behind the desk already looked done with this conversation. “Guess.”

“It’s Professor Selch now,” Said man replied before looking back to the homework he was grading. “And I’m sure you’ll tell me. That’s why you’re currently bothering me even though you have no classes with me.”

“You love me.” The Miqo’te cheekily grinned before taking a seat. “I think G’raha recognizes me. He was staring at me intently earlier.”

Emet rolled his eyes as he marked some answer wrong. “Or mayhaps he noticed you stalking him. If you need tips, go talk to Lahabrea.”

N’lyon frowned. “I’m not stalking him… We knew each other once. The only reason I haven’t said anything is because I’m trying to find the perfect time to talk to him. That’s why I’m following him sometimes.”

“Sounds like a stalker making an excuse,” The professor sighed before setting down his pen. If he tried gradding while talking to the once Warrior of Light then his students would have a bad time. “You need to talk to him before he really does think you’re a stalker.”

“…am I really that bad?”

“Yes.”

“I guess you know from personal experience.”

Emet shot him a glare and the Miqo’te shut-up with a pout. He sighed know the conversation wasn’t over so he just waited. And waited. And waited… “Just say whatever it is you want to say already.”

“So I was thinking of going to the _Waking Sands_ to try and talk to him,” N’lyon finally continued as his pout dropped. “I’m ninety percent sure he’s working today. And if he’s not then I can see Krille or Lyse again. It’s nice seeing them relaxed and not worrying about the Garlean Empire or Ascians.”

“Unless you plan on bringing me back a coffee, I don’t care,” Emet snapped in annoyance.

“Unfortunately I have a paper due tomorrow that I really need to work on,” N’lyon replied with a smug grin before standing up. “So I’ll tell you all about how the coffee shop goes next week. You better look forward to it.”

“I’d rather be stabbed with white auracite again,” Emet grumbled with a completely neutral face.

“Ah I see you’re keeping up with the dark humor of this generation. Keep up the good work.” N’ylon shot him a thumbs before darting out the room. He left the door slightly ajar on his way out.

“The longer he lives, the more annoying he gets. Good thing he didn’t become an Ascian.”

N’lyon sneezed as he made his way once again towards the exit. Instead of leaving, he found a comfy chair to sit in. He had to wait for G’raha to actually get to work. A book would pass the time for an hour or two… or less than thirty minutes. He was impatient now that he knew G’raha had saw him. Although now he was worried Emet was right. What if G’raha was staring because he thought he was a stalker? He hoped not…

Letting a few more minutes pass by, he snapped his book shut and shot up. Waiting wasn’t going to help him. It was now the top of the hour which for most jobs meant a shift change. Quickly he headed over but made sure not to hurry too fast. He didn’t want to be covered in sweat if he met G’raha again.

His confidence was beginning to leave him as the store grew closer. His steps began to slow and he started to wonder if he should actually go in. He watched someone leave and smiled softly when he realized it was Krille. She passed him without even a simple glance. It kind of hurt to be forgotten like that but he couldn’t blame her. No one except the Paragons and him remembered anything. But those thoughts didn’t matter right now. If she was gone that meant G’raha was likely working.

Stopping in front of the entrance, he steeled himself before entering. The cafe was empty but he could hear G’raha’s voice, “Give me one moment, please!”

Just hearing that voice again made his heart fluttered. Stepping inside, he headed to the front. He caught sight of G’raha kneeling before instantly turning his gaze to focus on the menu. He wasn’t going to be labeled a stalker like Emet had said. 

When G’raha spoke to him again, he noticed the man’s expression was more captivated than afraid. More importantly, it looked like he was trying to remember something.

“Good morning,” N’lyon greeted even though it was afternoon. It might have been out of place but he had promised to greet the other that way both times they had been torn apart. G’raha didn’t notice the oddity though. In fact, he was getting away with a lot of odd mistakes as their conversation went on, like knowing G’raha’s name. Good thing the other didn’t realize he wasn’t wearing a name-tag…

“Thanks. It’s perfect,” He commented after taking a sip of his drink. The extra caramel was a blessing. He wondered if G’raha unconsciously remembered his love for sweets or if it was a flirting technique. He’d take either. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. See you.” N’lyon quickly stored that smile in his memories before turning to leave. That had gone better than expected. He was grinning the whole way home before remembering he had homework. When he was an adventurer, he had enjoyed learning all kinds of history. Now that he was learning it in school… he found it boring. How the Archons had enjoyed intense studying from a book was beyond him.

Somehow he finished the paper early and was able to go to bed at a decent time. Sleep wouldn’t come though. He laid in bed for at least an hour as his thoughts went rampent. Tomorrow he had a class with G’raha. Now that they had been officially introduced, it wouldn’t be strange to talk to him in a lecture hall. But Emet’s words kept creeping into his thoughts. Would it be seen as stalkerish?

“Ugh, of course not. We picked that class months ago by chance,” He grumbled aloud as he rolled over. No matter the timeline, Hades was always making his life harder than it needed to be.

Somehow N’lyon managed to fall asleep. Turning off his alarm, he blinked up at the ceiling as he tried to recall why he was stressing last night. He sat up as he remembered. Today he was going to talk to G’raha in class. He felt pretty confident about it. Sleep really did help the mind.

He went through his morning routine with a spring in his step. It was going to be a good day. He’d make sure of it. First he made a good breakfast, picked out nicer-than-average clothes, and styled his hair fancier than usual. “Okay now I just look like a tool,” He muttered as he fixed his hair back to normal.

Once satisfied with his appearance, he headed to school. Unfortunately he got there way too early. For his plan to work he had to come in after G’raha so he found a quiet place to study for a bit. When it was fifteen minutes until class started, he headed to the lecture hall but didn’t see any red heads. He casually walked by and returned five minutes later. Still no red heads. His plan definitely wouldn’t work if G’raha didn’t show.

Walking around one last time, he returned five minutes before class started. This time he saw the red head sitting near the front. Composing himself, he stepped inside and made his way to the man. “Hey. So you have this class too? Mind if I sit by you?”

G’raha looked up in surprise before nodding. “Of course. It was… N’lyon, right?” He questioned with a smile. “What a coincidence.”

“Quite,” N’lyon laughed before looking at the other’s notes. “Is that Allagan?”

“Yes! Good eye,” The red head replied as his face lit up. “A civilization that could have only possibly existed by magic. Its ruins only yield questions and never answers. I’ve always been fascinated with it.”

The blond couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm. “Are you going to pursue them after college? Mayhaps one day you could find the answers.”

“I would love that,” G’raha sighed happily as he started imagining that. “But to get on one of the excavation teams you need to-“

He was cut off as the Professor called for attention. Of course today class would start on time. “I want to hear more. Talk to me afterwards,” N’lyon whispered as he pulled out his notebook. Even if he wanted to flirt, school came first. G’raha appeared to be the same way. The two proceeded to listen to the lecture but each other looks at times. Even if they weren’t talking, the class was more enjoyable with someone else.

A couple hours later the lecture ended. N’lyon was ready to resume their conversation but G’raha had other plans. “You know how the professor was saying this? What if...” The history nerd began to explain his theory. It wasn’t what N’lyon wanted but he was happy to listen.

“You might be on to something. But doesn’t that conflict with the Resurrection of Ala Mhigo?”

“Well, yes,” G’raha pouted as he looked over his notes. “Hmm… Yeah that wouldn’t work. Unless it was—“

“Allagans,” N’lyon interrupted while lifting his hands up for emphasis. The two were quiet for a moment before they both burst out laughing.

“You watch that show too?”

N’lyon nodded while putting away his things. “I thought everyone who was interested in history did. Isn’t it a right of passage?”

“True. It’s not the most accurate protrail of history though,” G’raha sighed as he recalled the show. “But it does teach the basic in an entertaining way. Too bad they blame Allagans for everything they can’t explain.”

“Makes for a great meme though. Alliens, Ascians… You can that guy’s quote into a meme with a lot of things.”

“You’re not wrong,” The red head chuckled before his expression turned curious. “But… what were Ascians again?”

“Don’t worry about it.” N’lyon waved it off. Acsians didn’t exist in this timeline’s history. “Just a joke between me and one of the professors. It’s hard to explain.”

G’raha nodded in understanding before looking at his phone. “I have to go to work soon… what other classes do you have? It’d be nice if we had more than one together.”

The two exchanged schedules but nothing else matched. “Ah but we’re both taking History of the Shroud by Senna. Just at different times. She’s nice but her tests are brutal. We could study together for those.”

“Please,” G’raha practically begged as he recalled how the semester had been so far. “I only took it because it fit my schedule nicely. It’s interesting but I know nothing about the Shroud.”

“I’ve got you covered,” Nlyon replied with a wink. He had taken it because his home had been in Gridania in the past. However history had changed a lot in this timeline. “I have a decent understanding of it. The main problem is there’s too many theories and not enough evidence. Sort of like the Allagan Empire. I think you’d enjoy it.”

“I doubt it. I’m more interested in magical buildings than I am in sticks and supposed spirits,” The red-head laughed; missing his friend’s insulted look. That had been N’lyon’s home long ago.

“Well you took the class so you need to learn about those sticks and spirits,” He said while somehow keeping the annoyance out of his voice. G’raha didn’t remember so he wouldn’t know. “Want to exchange numbers so we can plan a study date?”

A smile tugged on N’lyon’s lips as red ears perked up at the word date. “Of course. What’s the best way of contacting you? Do you use a message app?” G’raha asked before they exchanged numbers. “Did you get it?”

After a moment, N’lyon nodded and showed his phone. “Yep. Got your sticker right here. It’s pretty cute.”

“My roommate got it for me because I was too cheap to buy any,” The smaller groaned before sighing. “Speaking of her, I have to go before I’m late. We’re working together today.”

“Definitely not. Roommates are some of the worse people to piss off.”

“Oh no. She seems scary but she’s really nice,” G’raha corrected as he pocketed his phone. With a small wave, he began to head towards the door. “Well see you?”

“Yeah. Feel free to message me after work.” N’lyon smiled while waving back. His hand slowly lowered as he watched the other leave. Once he was alone, he let out a small cheer. “Time to annoy Hades and let him know I wasn’t labeled a stalker!”

“G’raha!” A cheerful voice called as he entered the shop. She quickly turned towards the backroom. “Hey, Krille. G’raha’s here so can I leave?”

“Please,” The Lalafell groaned while stepping into the front. The girl cheered before rushing pass her. “I love Lyse. I really do. But I don’t understand how she can be that energetic all the time.”

“You just need to eat more meat,” Lyse replied as she returned out front with a clipboard and no apron. She passed the clipboard to G’raha. “I need you to fill out which days you’re free next month here. Y’shtola and my sis were able to get some wiggle room for the wedding and Minfilia said she’d close the shop for it so don’t worry. We’re also covering Estinien’s in a week. No idea what that’s about but it sounds urgent. Get that all?”

The Miqo’te looked at the clip board and nodded. “I think so. If not, I’ll ask Krille.”

“Good. Then I’ll be off. Bye!” And with that she was out the door.

“Can meat really make us that hyperactive?” He joked as he looked over the clip board. Stepping behind the counter, he grabbed a pen to start filling everything out. “Estinien never takes days off. What happened?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Krille sighed while moving to stand next to him. “He overheard Thancred and Urianger talking about someone at the bar yesterday. Did he tell you anything?”

“No. He seemed quite normal,” G’raha muttered as he tried to recall what they talked about. “We didn’t talk about anything strange. The only things I can remember are him teasing me and Aymeric.”

Krille looked at him curiously. “What about Aymeric?”

He shrugged. “Nothing much. Just some random facts since we had met at school. Then he went to visit him after work.”

“I wonder if something happened to Aymeric then,” She muttered with a worried expression. “Oh well. Thinking about it now won’t help. Lets just get to work. Go get your apron.”

G’raha quickly went to fetch an apron. When he returned, Krille was busying her self cleaning off tables. It wasn’t abnormal but he could tell she was worrying. Although he didn’t understand why, he knew how to cheer her up.

“So Krille…” He began as he leaned across the counter. “Remember that guy I was telling you about last night?”

“What about him?” She looked at him suspiciously.

“I got his number~”

She was a quiet for a moment before sighing. “This really is a bad, romance novel,” She muttered before smiling at him. Her worry put aside for now. “Tell me everything that happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the second part~ Friendly reminder this is a part of a trio of stories. I'm also experimenting with time and plotting so please point out what you like or explain what you didn't(outside of typos and grammar mistakes).
> 
> Btw stalking is bad. Don't follow the WoL's example.
> 
> Thanks again! And remember that kudos and comments are great motivators~  
> You can follow me on twitter @diegoonnio


	4. Step-ladders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter in which only one part mentions Phoenix Wright but now this chapter is dedicated to that great game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was getting over a sickness when I wrote this. Chapter was lightly proofread but may be edited later.

“And now we’re planning to have our first study date. Isn’t that great?”

Emet grinned at the news. “Only if that means you’ll stop bothering me.”

“And leave you alone? Never!”

N’lyon laughed when the former Ascian started to scowl. The two were seated on opposite couches in Emet’s living room. A softer laugh joined them from the doorway as Hythlodaeus entered with a plate of snacks.

“Pay no mind to him, N’lyon.” The man smiled as he set down the plate of snacks. Moving towards the professor, he kissed his cheek before reaching for an empty glass. “This grumpy old man will never admit when he’s happy. The fact he hasn’t tossed you out means he likes you. More brandy?”

“Say stuff like that and he’ll never leave,” Emet grumbled as he handed over the empty glass with a nod.

“Oh I’d leave,” N’lyon said while shaking his head at the offer of another drink. Hythlodaeus smiled before returning to the kitchen. “After all, I have my own love I need to pursue like you— Hmm? Is something wrong?”

The other man was glancing at the kitchen before turning to look at N’lyon with a serious expression. “Back to what I mentioned earlier. What did you—“

“Hang on. I got to take this,” The Miqo’te interrupted as he picked up his phone which hadn’t gone off. “Hey, what’s up? Everything okay?”

“N’lyon—“ Emet was cut off by a hand motion.

“Oh, alright. I’ll be right over,” N’lyon said before turning to the other. “Sorry. Gotta go now. See ya later. Bye Hythlodaeus!”

“N’lyon!” Emet called after him but the man was already running out the door. He scowled quietly to himself until a glass was held up next to him.

“Did you scare away our little friend?” Hythlodaeus teased gently as the glass was taken. He sat next to his lover with a drink of his own. “What did you say to him?”

“I just asked him a simple question,” Emet huffed before taking a long drink. His eye twitched as he felt eyes on him but nothing was said. He tried to ignore the staring but ended up speaking first. “Remember how I asked you your thoughts about rebirth?”

“Of course. I teased you because it sounded like you were about to use the ’lovers in a different life’ pick up line.”

Emet sighed. “Yes, that time. I was questioning him on that theory.”

“You really are obsessed with that,” Hythlodaeus chuckled before taking another sip of his drink. “Although I feel there might be some truth to it. I did feel like I knew you when we first met.”

“I did too,” The professor chuckled softly. “Mayhaps we did. It’s a nice thought.”

“Is it just a thought?”

Emet cursed mentally. The other was always perceptive but until he knew the truth, he couldn’t answer honestly. “Just a thought.”

Hythlodaeus said nothing but leaned against Emet quietly. After a few moments, Emet leaned in too. They both enjoyed their drinks and each other in a comfortable silence.

The next day G’raha smiled at his phone as he finished making lunch. He replied, set it down, continued making his sandwich, and picked the device back up as it chimed. This had been his routine this morning since N’lyon had sent him a news article on some Allagan ruins. That had sparked a conversation about history that dissolved into random topics.

He sighed quietly as his work alarm went off. He didn’t want to end their conversation, but he knew Krille wouldn’t approve of texting constantly at work. Slowly he gathered his things and headed to the coffee shop. The walk took a little longer as he continued texting until the last moment.

>> That’s insane!

>> You’re telling me the whole story later.

>> I have work now.

>> _-CRYING STICKER-_

>> TTYL!

He made a face similar to his crying sticker before pocketing his phone and entering the store. To his surprise Krille, Estinien, and Aymeric were chatting at the front. The three of them were looking at the clipboard intently. Krille was the first one to notice him. “Hey, Raha! Come here a moment. We were wondering if you could pick up Lyse’s shift so she could pick up Estinien’s shift here…”

Making his way to the counter, he shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t. That’s when my intership starts,” He explained causing Estinien to sigh in frustration.

“I think that day won’t hurt,” Aymeric chuckled softly as he patted the other Elezen’s arm. “He’s leaving that night. I doubt he’ll cause trouble.”

“I guess. I’ll just call out if something happens.”

“You have some nerve saying that in front of your coworkers,” Krille scolded but her expression help some worry. Noticing G’raha’s confusion, she quickly smiled at him. “Ah, don’t worry about this. It’s nothing serious.”

Aymeric also smiled at him. “My father is coming to visit. Estinien doesn’t like him.”

“That’s an understatement,” Estinien grumbled as he picked up his cup and stepped back. “Looks like we have to play it by ear. Sorry, Krille. You might be opening alone that day.”

“If you’re sorry, then you’ll show,” She huffed. Sighing, she reorganized the clipboard before handing it to G’raha. “Can you put this in the back when you grab your apron?”

“Of course. See you guys.” He waved at the Elezens before he went into the back. Hanging up the clipboard, he checked his phone one last time and paused.

<< You work today?

<< I was planning on working at homework at the cafe today.

<< Is that okay?

He stared at it a moment trying to figure out why wouldn’t it be okay. Finally he chuckled as he responded yes. N’lyon was probably worried about being a distraction. It was likely but Krille would keep him line. Pocketing his phone, he grabbed an apron and headed out to the front. “I have good news for you.”

“Did you magically find more soy milk back there?” Krille questioned as she did inventory for the front fridge. “Apparently we’re running low again. Keep an eye on that while taking orders.”

“Again? Didn’t we just waste a bunch since no one was ordering it?” G’raha groaned before getting to work. “Well I didn’t find any milk… but N’lyon’s coming over.”

She perked up at that. “Really? For a drink or just to distract you?”

“He was actually planning to do homework here before he knew I was working,” He explained as he began to restock ingredients. “But now it’s probably to distract me.”

She laughed while handing him a box of ingredients. “At least you’re honest about it.”

The two continued to chat as they worked. It wasn’t long before the bell jingled alerting them to someone entering. G’raha perked up but his expression fell when he saw it wasn’t N’lyon. Krille elbowed him for that before going to take the customers order. Quickly he put on his customer service smile as he waited for the order.

That smile almost fell again at the ridiculousness of the drink. He wasn’t one to judge what people liked but this one was even a pain to make. Carefully he worked so he didn’t have to start all over. Finally he was handing the drink over; happy to be done.

“So you’re N’ylon,” Krille said cheerfully from the register making G’raha’s fur stand up. “Raha has spoken highly of you.”

“Krille. I don’t talk that much about him,” He interrupted as he quickly slid over. “Hey, N’lyon. What can I get started for you?”

N’lyon chuckled causing a warm feeling to fill the other Miqo’te. “A medium carmel machiatto. You made it really good last time.”

“Care for a large? We’ll give you a discount so it’s the same as a medium,” Krille offered earning a silent thanks from G’raha.

“Well if that’s okay… Also can I get a chocolate croissant? For later. I know I’ll want one but not right now.”

“Of course. Just tell us when and we can even warm it up for you.” She smiled as she gave him the total. He swiped his card and left a tip before stepping over the pick up counter.

It was a simple order but G’raha felt nervous as N’lyon watched him. “So you like caramel?” He asked trying to get the other to talk instead of just watch.

“Yeah, but it’s more of a like for sweets. Not just caramel,” He explained as he watched curiously. G’raha drizzled caramel syrup around the inner part of the cup before pouring some vanila in followed by the steam milk. “Oh. I thought the caramel was just on top.”

“Normally yes. But you just said you like sweets.” The red head grinned while pouring the espresso shots on top and drizzled it with more caramel. “Stirring also helps.”

“Mayhaps, but I like to get through the bitter part first.”

“Mayhaps?” Krille joined in with an amused expression. “That’s an odd word to use today. Are you in theater? English?”

N’lyon laughed as G’raha shot her a small glare. “I did a bit of theater but I think it’s mostly from historical texts. I thought it was a fun word.”

“Too bad G’raha didn’t pick up a cool word from history. The only word he picked up from his studies was Allagan.”

The red head huffed at insult while the blond laughed. “I picked up other words too. But most are not needed in everyday conversations.”

“Mhmm.” The girl smirked before tossing a rag at her coworker. “I don’t care if you talk, but keep busy, okay?”

“Yes, mom,” G’raha huffed as he caught the rag. Shooting N’lyon a sheepish smile, he moved to the other side of the counter. “I’ll just clean off tables as you set up. What are you working on? History?”

“Not this time. It’s some exercises for music theory,” N’lyon explained while taking a seat in the corner. It would have been nice to be near the counter but he really was here to do homework. He didn’t need customers bumping his table.

“Right. Your major is music. Do you play anything?”

“I play a few things. But mostly I stick to the piano and guitar,” The blond replied as he began to pull out random folders and a tablet. “I want to get into singing more but a lifetime of nodding left my voice a bit rusty.”

G’raha looked at him in awe. “That’s amazing,” He said with sparkling eyes. “I’m sure your singing isn’t that bad. You regular voice is nice. Come on. Sing something for me.”

N’lyon couldn’t help but laugh at the request. “You can’t just tell someone to spontaneously sing like that.”

“Of course you can. Watch,” The red head said before started singing the chorus of a popular song. His voice rang out clearly as he sang the first verse before the bell chimed and a group of people walked in. He instantly cut off and flushed. “Sorry. Have to work now. Good luck with your assignment.”

N’lyon chuckled as he watched the other dart behind the counter. “There’s that confidence I remember,” He muttered quietly to himself before turning to his work.

G’raha hoped onto drinks quickly while pushing down his embarrassment. Krille shot him an odd look but he ignored it. He had no idea what he had started singing like that. Luckily he knew he was good at singing but that didn’t mean he just bursted into song whenever he felt like it. Quietly he focused on drinks. Although his eyes kept glancing over at N’lyon.

“Stop staring and make me a almond milk mocha with no whip,” Krille teased as she handed him a cup. “Work first. Ogling later.”

And his embarrassment flared up again. He looked over quickly to see the blond had put in headphones sometime while he was working. Sighing in relief, he went back to work and tried to calm his emotions down once again. Maybe it was a bad idea to have N’lyon working here…

After a few more customers, they finally died down enough to work on other things. He began his normal routine when Krille handed him a cup of water. He looked at it in confusion before she sighed. “It’s for your boyfriend. Ask if he wants his corsant while you’re over there.”

“He’s not—!” His eyes darted over to see the blond still working with headphones in. Pouting, he took the water and set it down. “…let me just finish this real fast and then I’ll bring it to my _friend_ that’s a _boy._ ”

Krille snorted and went back to her work while G’raha quickly finished the section he was working on. Clearing his throat, he took the cup over to N’lyon and gave his best smile as he set it down in front of him. “Hey. Still working hard?”

The blond looked up in surprise before smiling back. “Sorry. What was that?” He asked as he reached for the water. “Is this for me…?”

“Yes,” G’raha almost giggled but stopped himself from acting like a teenager in love. “I asked if you were working hard.”

“Yeah. Got a section I was struggling with done,” N’lyon replied before taking a sip of water. “Ah… water was a good idea. Thanks.”

G’raha silently thanked Krille. “No problem. So what are you working on?”

“In simple terms, creating melodies with harmonies with the professor’s rules. Want to hear?” N’ylon held out an earbud for the other. G’raha almost reached for it when Krille called for help in the back. “Mayhaps later. When’s your lunch, er… dinner break?”

“I usually take it right before the afternoon person leaves. Give me an hour,” The red head answered as he slowly headed to the back room.

“Okay. Get to work and I’ll talk to you then,” The blond grinned while making shooing motions. The other laughed before turning and hurrying to help.

When he got there, he saw Krille standing on the stepladder; not a ladder. Her face lit up as she spotted him and she quickly hopped down. “Great. I need that box of decaf,” She explained before stepping back to give him room. “Sorry about that. But we need to grind some more before anyone orders decaf.”

“I’m not upset,” He reassured her although he was a little disappointed. Climbing the step-ladder, he could barely reach the box. “After all, I should be working. We decided to talk more during lunch.”

“That’s good. I was worried I ruined the moment,” She sighed in relief before taking the box from G’raha as he climbed down.

“Well… he did offer me an earbud to listen to his his music before you interrupted.”

“An earbud? My word! I wasn’t aware things had gotten that serious between you two,” She gasped in mock shock. There was a beat of silence before the two disolved into small fits of a laughter. Slowly they composed themselves before heading back to the front. However N’lyon was looking at them with concern causing them to burst out laughing again.

“It’s not you,” G’raha reassured as Krille quickly turned professional to greet a customer walking in. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Okay…?” N’lyon looked at the both with worry but smiled slightly in amusement. He turned back to his homework as the others began to get busy again.

The coffee shop was slow for just long enough to stock before the next wave of people hit. G’raha was quickly taking orders with a spring in his step. Once he was done with this rush, he could have dinner with N’lyon. That thought made him smile as worked.

But when the crowd began to die down, he watched the blond get up and leave. His smile fell as he slowed. “Where’s he going…?”

“Orders,” Krille hissed softly with her customer service smile. But she did shoot him a worried look.

The two continued to work but G’raha had lost his spring. He doubt the other left because of him which meant something else had happened. At least he saw N’lyon was okay when he left so was a family member that was in trouble? A friend? He tried to tell himself it could have been something good but his brain was in overdrive thinking the worst.

“G’raha, I got this. You can go on break now,” Krille interrupted his thoughts cheerfully. It was her professionally telling him to go check his phone.

“Alright,” He said before quickly darting into the back. Not bothering to take off his apron, he quickly pulled out his phone. There was a message from N’lyon… over an hour ago. He still tapped it curiously.

<< Here’s my last project. Thought you’d enjoy it.

<< - _EternalWind.mp3-_

He sighed quietly as he shut off his phone. Any other time he would have been happy at the gesture but he couldn’t help but worry now. A text explaining what had happened would have sufficed. Quietly he put up his apron right as Krille called for him. He hoped it wasn’t customers because a break sounded nice right now.

Stepping out front, he blinked in surprise as he saw N’lyon standing there. “What are you doing back here?”

“You make me sound unwanted,” The blond laughed causing G’raha to shake his quickly. Smiling, he held up a bag and set it on the counter. “I went to grab us dinner. Unfortunately a friend called needing help at her job. I said I’d go help so I’ll have to skip joining you.”

“That’s too bad,” The red head sighed in disappointment but he was feeling loads better now that he knew nothing was wrong. In fact, the gesture made him feel even better than before. “We’ll have dinner another time. My treat.”

“I’ll look forward to it. See you at school. Nice meeting you Krille.”

The two waved to him good-bye before turning their attention to the bag. It was plain but Krille suddenly gasped as starred at it. “Is that from _Stay at Home_? I heard you have to know someone to get a meal from them.”

“Never heard of them,” G’raha commented as he opened the bag. Inside was a nice looking sandwich.

“They’re pretty recluse. I heard they mostly cater to celebrities,” She explained while examining the sandwich. “Their food is suppose to be top— is that jam?”

He opened the sandwich a bit and sure enough, there was strawberry jam between the bread and lettuce. The two exchange disgusted looks.

“Well? Are you going to try it?”

“What happened to no eating in the front?” He grumbled before tentatively taking a bite. Chewing slowly, his face suddenly lit up. He quickly finished the bite. “This is amazing!”

“Really? Give me a bite,” She said while reaching for the sandwich. He quickly moved to the sitting area of the store holding his sandwich protectively. “Come on. Just a small bite. I’m probably never going to be able to try one.”

He looked over before holding out the sandwich so she could take a bite. She chewed it curiously before nodding in approval. “Not bad, right?”

“Right,” She agreed before moving to clean up as he ate. He quickly shot N’lyon a thank-you message as well as saying he’d listen to the song later that night. Once those were sent, he set his phone down so he could enjoy his meal. Or at least he did until Krille let out a shocked cry.

“What’s wrong?”

“N’lyon forgot his croissant!”

G’raha snorted quietly to himself before relaxing back in his chair. “What a shame. Guess he’ll have to come back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I got sick and then had some job opportunities I had to write up samples for. Almost better but this chapter probably wasn't one of my best @v@ 
> 
> Thank-you for reading!  
> Remember that kudos and comments are great motivators~  
> You can follow me on twitter @diegoonnio


	5. Hero No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter where I remind you that this is a fluffy story so the WoL can't be do EX content.

N’lyon left the coffee shop begrudgingly. He wanted to stay longer but his friends needed him. And just like when he was an adventurer, he got paid for helping. Normally he didn’t mind but he had been looking forward to dinner with G’raha.

Still sulking, he arrived at the Falcon’s Nest. The garrison had become a security firm in this world. Although the families tended to keep the local peace, security was important to those without ties to them. The Falcon’s Nest provided a little of everything.

“Hey, Redwald,” N’lyon greeted before taking a seat. The Midlander was currently talking on the phone. Having nothing better to do while waiting, he looked around aimlessly. Luckily it didn’t take long for the call to be over. “Everything okay? You know I don’t like to work school nights.”

Redwald shifted through papers on his desk. “I wish I could say yes but things are a bit messy right now,” He sighed while handing a couple papers the other. “Don’t worry. It’s only for two hours. Thanks for coming in on short notice.”

“No problem. I told you you could count on me.” N’lyon winked and began to look through the papers. He frowned slightly when he saw someone else had been assigned. “What happened to this guy? Did he quit or get sick…?”

“Prison.”

The red head paused before giving a lighthearted chuckle. “I thought you prided yourself on having clean records. Your employees don’t even have any speeding violations.”

“That’s why it’s weird,” The Midlander said slowly with a concerned look. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Everything has been weird lately.”

There was a beat of silence. “…How weird is weird?”

“Well… maybe weird is an overstatement considering we’re living normal lives in a place controlled by the mafia,” Redwald chuckled bitterly. N’lyon knew all about this and normally stayed away. But this time… “Long story short, tensions are a bit high with the families. Rumor has it the Durendaire family is trying to take control instead of keeping things balanced.”

N’lyon sighed. Of course history was repeating itself. “That’s not that weird. Those rumors have been floating around for a while.”

“True but things are spiraling out of control now,” The Midlander groaned while shaking his head. “That job you’re taking? The guy who was suppose to do it went berserk and attacked an innocent man unprovoked. Sounds like he was using _Dragon Blood_ which we haven’t seen since Nidhogg. But Iceheart’s symbol was found at the scene. And to top it off, Thordan’s coming back next week!”

N’lyon forze as everything was explained. Nidhogg? Thordan? Iceheart was possibly Ysayle but he couldn’t bring himself to be happy about her with the other two threats. “That’s…. A mess. I’ll watch myself.”

“A mess is an understatement,” Redwald snorted before handing him a couple more papers. “Enough talk though. You better get going or I’ll get yelled at.”

“Yes, sir,” N’lyon replied with a small salute. Using his phone, he mapped the location before heading out. It was a safe route so he allowed his mind to wander.

Nidhogg and Thordan… Those were two foes he hoped to never face again. Although Nidhogg wasn’t a terrifying dragon in this world. There was actually little information on him; if it was a person at all.

Then there was Thordan. He had overheard that the man had twelve bodyguards just like the Heavens Ward. Luckily they weren’t tempered so if he had to fight, he could probably reason with them.

_If_ being the keyword. He wasn’t going to fight either of them. “This is my time to live out a sappy romance story,” He muttered to himself. “This time, I’m not the hero that defeats them.”

“Thank-you for coming,” G’raha smiled as the last group of customers left. When the door shut, he bolted to lock it and flip the close signs. No more blended drinks tonight! “…I’m starting to think like Estinien.”

Not bothering putting on a podcast, he hurried to get everything cleaned up. The sooner he got out, the sooner he could start messaging N’lyon. He slowed as he wiped down a table. Was he being clingy? He heard that was a major turn off. Shaking his head, he continued cleaning at a swift pace. N’lyon was responding positive to everything. There was no way he was being clingy.

Once everything was cleaned and restocked, he locked the store and began heading home. He shot the other a message as he walked. It was a nice night. Maybe they could talk as he walked. But he didn’t get a reply. He was hopeful for most the trip but finally gave up waiting when he was almost home. N’lyon was probably still busy but his mind kept whispering that is was something more.

“Welcome, home,” Krille greeted as he entered. She was at the dinning room table with papers spread out everywhere. Curious, he picked up a sheet.

“Is this all on the Isle of Val?”

“That’s right.” She was busy scribbling something before she looked up. “I can’t help but feel a connection to it… Your ears are drooping. What’s wrong?”

G’raha instantly reached for his ears. “It’s…” He started before sighing. “I’m overthinking things.”

“Sit and tell me everything,” She said while moving a stack of research off the chair next to her. “Is it N’lyon?”

“Am I that obvious?”

“Yes.”

He chuckled at her bluntness. “I was worried I was messaging him too much. I don’t want to be clingy. I thought I wasn’t but when I tried messaging him after work, he didn’t answer.”

“Wow. It’s like people have lives that don’t revolve around you,” She said with mock shock before laughing. “Come now. When did you become so vain? He’s probably busy with whatever he was taking care of.”

“I know,” He groaned as he rested his head against the table. “I just can’t help worrying.”

She gave him a small pat on the head. “Unfortunately that’s a common phenomena. There’s not much you can do but a warm shower and some sleep should help a bit. But… if he doesn’t respond to you by tomorrow, I can break his kneecaps for you.”

That got him to smile. “Thanks, Krille. I’ll try the shower and bed first and keep the kneecaps in mind.”

“Happy to help. Night.” She waved before going back to her work.

“G’night.”

G’raha gathered his things and took a shower. The hot water helped calm his nerves more than he expected. Soon he was standing under the water happily enjoying the warm feeling. Once he was clean and pruny, he stepped out with a clear head. N’lyon was his own person with his own life. He needed to be more patient.

He thought but when he entered his room, he jumped for his phone as soon as he saw the message light blinking.

<< Sorry for replying so late. Just got done  
<< I hope your night is going well  
<< _-SLEEPY STICKER SENT-_

G’raha smiled at the messages as he flopped onto his bed. The two began to text again but this time N’lyon was quick to make sure they went to bed.

<< I’d love to chat more but I have an early class  
<< - _ANNOYED STICKER SENT-  
_ << Want to meet up tomorrow to study?

G’raha willed himself not to respond instantly. After waiting a minute, he replied when he was available and soon they had a study session planned. A smile tugged at his lips. Study date had a better ring to it.

Laughing to himself, he set his alarm, turned off the lights, and got comfortable in bed. He relaxed for a couple minutes before realizing this was going no where. He was just too excited. Huffing, he tried rolling over a few times but nothing helped. After an hour of trying, he finally turned back on the light to read. So much for going to bed on time.

Somehow he grew tired enough to fall asleep. His dreams were a hazy mess but at one point he started making sandwiches. “I hope our Hero enjoys them,” He said as he lovingly spread the jelly onto one side of bread. The dream blurred again until he was watching the blond Miqo’te try a sandwich. N’lyon smiled warmly after he took a bite.

“It’s delicious. Thanks, Raha!”

He jerked awake and looked around in a confused daze. He recognized it as his room but a part of him felt like it wasn’t. He was forgetting something… But the more he woke, the less that thought presisted. Soon his thoughts were drifting to N’lyon eating his cooking. A sleepy smile crossed his lips. He couldn’t remember the dream much but that was a nice image.

His alarm cut through his day dreaming. He groaned as he turned it off before slowly got up. Yawning, he began to get ready for school with a slight spring to his step. He was tired but he was excited for the day. Especially lunchtime. Thinking back to his dream, he decided to make two sandwiches so he could share.

But as he headed to school, that energetic spark was dwindling. He just wanted it to be lunchtime. But even as his thoughts kept drifting to N’lyon, he was able to pay attention to his lectures. It would take more than a pretty boy to distract him from history.

Finally his lectures were over. As he gathered his things, his phone vibrated. It was message from N’lyon saying his class ended early and he’d find them a spot. That was enough motivation for G’raha to shove everything in his bag quickly and speedwalk to their meeting spot.

When he arrived, his eye twitched. There were too many blonds. He tried to find his blond but N’lyon found him first. “G’raha! Over here!” He called as he waved from the corner.“Hey,” G’raha greeted once he made his way over. In the table had a plater of nachos along with some fruit and veggies. “…I don’t want to assume but did you get those to share…?”

“No. It’s all for me,” N’lyon grinned before gesturing to the food. “Just kidding. I may eat a lot but not this much. Help yourself.”

“Thank-you,” The red head said before reaching into his bag. He frowned slightly in disappointment. “I made you a sandwich but those nachos look a lot more appealing…”

N’lyon’s eyes lit up. “You made me a sandwich? Of course I want it!”

G’raha felt a bit embarrassed by his enthusiasm but handed over one of the sandwiches. “I hope you like it.”

The blond wasted no time trying it. He closed his eyes in a blissful expression as he chewed, “It’s delicious. Thanks, G’raha!” He said causing G’raha to freeze in surprise at how accurate to the dream it was. “Something wrong?”

“Uh, no,” The red head said with a nervous chuckle. “Just feeling a bit of deja vu.”

N’lyon laughed but there was a flash of sadness in his eyes. “Maybe it’s actually cryptomnesia. We met once before as kids or mayhaps… in another life.” He gasped in mock shock causing the other to laugh.

“Now you sound like Thancred.” G’raha grinned. “That’s my co-worker by the way. The white-haired Hyur. He’s a notorious for his terrible pick-up lines.”

“So you didn’t like it?”

The red head opened his mouth and paused as his brain processed what was just said. “…wait that was one?”

N’lyon smiled innocently as he pulled out a book. “Who knows. Now should we get to studying?” He questioned before taking another bite of the sandwich.

“I think you should answer my question first,” G’raha pouted but grabbed his book too.

“Oh look. Much words, such history. Wow,” The blond teased earning a groan from the other. “And look! There’s mention of the Allagan Empire in here!”

“Where?” G’raha’s ear perked up as he hurried to open his book. N’lyon watched fondly as his friend looked for the piece of information. It was nice that some things stayed the same no matter the time.

“Right here.” And with that the two began studying. The blond would have preferred chatting about random topics more but watching G’raha’s face light up over history was fine too. The sight made him smile. It had been a long time since he saw that innocent smile. The Crystal Exarch had still enjoyed history too but the innocent joy had faded. It was nice to watch G’raha enjoy it once more without burdens.

Time flew by as they studied. The food slowly disappeared and they kept falling into comfortable silences while they read. People around them left as lunch ended but they didn’t notice. Both were absorbed in their own world until a quiet beeping went off.

“That’s my alarm,” N’lyon sighed as he turned it off. Stretching, he shot the other a smile before looking over his notes. “We got a lot done though.”

G’raha quickly looked at his phone in surprise. “I know I lose track of time when reading but I didn’t realize _that_ much time passed. Good thing I don’t work today.”

The blond laughed. “Well if you’re free would you like to join me— oh wait. We’re going over our theory assignments,” He ended with a hint of annoyance.

“Is that what you were doing in the cafe?”

“Yeah.” He nodded while gathering up their trash. “Every other Monday we usually do a performance day but unfortunately this assignment wasn’t the easiest. So he decided to talk about it in class today.”

“That’s too bad,” G’raha said disappointedly. “I’ve been wanting to hear you play.”

“How about next we meet?” N’lyon suggested with a wink.

“That would be great!”

“Then I’ll make sure to have my guitar ready.” The two finished gathering their things, tossed the trash and headed towards the exit. They continued to talk about music until the reached the main path. “You have any more classes today?”

“Nah, I just get to go home today,” The red head replied while pointing in one direction.

“Lucky. Well my class is this way,” N’lyon said as he pointed in the opposite direction. “Guess I’ll see you later?”

_Don’t be clingy_ , G’raha told himself mentally as he nodded. “At the latest, Friday. But I’m working Wednesday afternoon if you wanted to drop by.”

“I could do that,” N’lyon chuckled before waving good-bye. “See you Wednesday.”

“Bye,” G’raha smiled until the other turned. He sighed in disappointment as he began to head home. He should have just offered to walked with him to class. Why did he have to overthink everything?

His phone vibrated pulling him slightly out of his slump. Opening the message, he grinned at it’s content.

<< Thanks for today.  
<< I think that’s the first time I understood a full chapter.  
<< _-CHOCOBO DREAMING OF FOOD STICKER SENT-  
_ << I could use another sandwich sometime~

G’raha quickly typed out a response.

>> It’ll be payment for you playing!  
 _> >-WINKING STICKER SENT-_

Putting away his phone, he continued on happier than before. Next time he’d be brave enough to ask to walk with him. Definitely next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it a coffee shop or a cafe? The answer is yes. Long answer: It's a coffee shop that has food but I'm lazy and type cafe. 
> 
> Also next month I'll be starting a huge project. I'll try to keep this story up but I'll probably switch to every other week with Rebirth of the Eye the opposite week. 
> 
> Anyway hope you all enjoy~ Remember that kudos and comments are great motivators.  
> You can follow me on twitter @diegoonnio


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